Today marks the start of the NSW Seniors Festival. This event celebrates the role over 500,000 seniors aged 60 and over play contributing to the New South Wales community.
At Marine Rescue NSW we are immensley proud of the efforts made by our senior volunteers and their contribution to Marine Rescue and their local communities, and we love to hear from seniors interested in joining our ranks.
Over the next week we will be profiling five of our amazing senior volunteers.
Today, meet the amazing Helen Carter from Marine Rescue Newcastle – who at 81 years young has just completed her Watch Officer rating!
After over twenty years as a teacher, Helen Carter was feeling bored, so she decided on a new challenge, opening her own business. The business prospered, and Helen remained at the helm until finally, aged 75, she decided it was time to retire.
Retirement, however, was not providing Helen with the stimulation and challenges that she had hoped for, and she was quickly, in her own words, “bored to tears.”
Just over five years ago she was listening to the local radio station when she heard a bar and sea conditions report by the local Marine Rescue unit.
“I immediately rang the radio station up,” said Helen, “and got the number of the local Marine Rescue unit.”
“When I rang them I had no idea what they did, so I asked them. I liked the sound of it and said – I’ll do that! And that’s how I joined!”
“Before I joined the only boat I’d been on was a cruise liner, so I had a lot to learn!”
Helen quickly found herself in the unfamiliar world of charts, latitude and longitude, call signs and boats. She soon adapted, and it was not long before she gained her Radio Operator qualification.
After a new challenge, Helen then studied for the position of Watch Officer. Thanks to COVID-19, this took nearly two years, but she persevered, and aged 81 recently gained her rating.
Helen enjoys drawing upon her teaching experience to help train new Radio Operators and is already looking around for the next challenge.
“I also like to talk about what we do at local clubs like Probus, to invigilate for Marine Rescue courses, put together our quarterly newsletter and work with our Radio Club members – so I’m definitely no longer bored!”
For Helen, Marine Rescue has given her the opportunity to keep busy in her ‘retirement’ and to have a sense of purpose.
“I think Marine Rescue is an excellent spot for retirees.”
“When you retire it is really important to use your mind and to explore what you can do. Marine Rescue has helped me do just that!”
“It has also helped me find out things I didn’t think I could do, and I recommend it to anyone.”
Photo: Helen Carter (centre) and fellow volunteers on a recent visit to Marine Rescue State Headquarters.
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